


Welcome to UA

by Iffondrel



Category: Welcome to Night Vale, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Alternate Universe - Radio, BNHA's Monster Ball, Conspiracy Theories, Gen, Government Conspiracy, Inspired by Welcome to Night Vale, Present Tense, Spiders, also bnha smash reference, and now the weather, bnha UA dorms, manga references, paranormal liberation front - Freeform, the inner mechanisms of Todoroki's mind
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:21:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27314713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iffondrel/pseuds/Iffondrel
Summary: “The sun sets on another tumultuous day. Outside, the howls of our esteemed lifestyle guidance counselor can be heard through the forest as he hunts down unsuspecting students out past curfew for blood sport.“Welcome… to UA.”Todoroki sits up straighter as a brief musical jingle plays over air. He checks the status of his livestream podcast, noting the number of listeners that had already tuned in.Four already. An accomplishment.And then he moves on to the day’s latest news, as only he could tell them.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 33
Collections: BNHA's Monster Ball





	Welcome to UA

**Author's Note:**

  * For [keatsblue](https://archiveofourown.org/users/keatsblue/gifts).



> This is my second and final fic that I made for the BNHA Monster Ball! And what a wonderful event to be a part of, too. The mods were great, and everyone made such wonderful work for this spook-tacular event. Thanks to [jayjem_jam](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jayjem_jam) once again for being my beta! I was initially only going to do one piece, but after going over my options I decided that I really wanted to write out the "Welcome to Nightvale but with Todoroki's conspiracy theories" idea. So this is a treat for [keatsblue](https://archiveofourown.org/users/keatsblue)! Enjoy! This was a lot of fun to write.

Todoroki adjusts the mic beside him, teetering precariously on a small stack of textbooks. He scoots his chair closer to the desk and checks the monitor. A neat pile of detailed papers sat before him, the catalyst for his words. Everything is in its proper place.

Todoroki leans into his mic and taps his keyboard, lighting up a small light.

“The sun sets on another tumultuous day. Outside, the howls of our esteemed lifestyle guidance counselor can be heard through the forest as he hunts down unsuspecting students out past curfew for blood sport.

“Welcome… to UA.”

Todoroki sits up straighter as a brief musical jingle plays over air. He checks the status of his livestream podcast, noting the number of listeners that had already tuned in. _Four already. An accomplishment._ And then he moves on to the day’s latest news, as only he could tell them.

“Here in the UA dorms, home of class 1A, there have been a lot of unease and disturbances as students struggle to adapt to the new environment and get accommodated to these… accommodations. Some are finding the transfer to be manageable, while others are having difficulty sleeping. Troubled sleeper and restless night-owl Denki Kaminari has been complaining about an inability to rest properly, stating for the record that it has nothing to do with the copious amounts of Monster energy drinks pulsing through his veins but rather with the shadows messing with him and going _thump_ in the night. In an interview with Kaminari’s sleep paralysis demon, Dark Shadow, I’ve uncovered the other half of this recent revelation. “It’s just a temporary visitation,” the sentient quirk assured from the cluttered mess under Kaminari’s bed. It went on to explain that there was permission from his user, Tokoyami, who agreed to this deal on the terms that Dark Shadow would leave him alone to sleep at night. It guarantees that Tokoyami can rest easy at night knowing his quirk is enjoying itself. “There’s nothing to be concerned about,” Dark Shadow had continued, earnestly defending its impish tendencies. “It’s not _you_ I’m bothering. And anyway, you wouldn’t want to know the horrors underneath Denki’s bed.” In these times, it can be truly difficult to draw the line between who is in a tougher situation. We cannot be certain about who has demons under their pillows, but we should be respectful of their privacy. If this shadowy monster of the abyss claims to keep its claws clear from the fearful student’s tender throat, then we can suspect that this new, flourishing, symbiotic relationship will continue until proper intervention is put into place. To my listeners, please sleep soundly knowing that you may or may not receive a friendly shadow visitor in the dead of night.

“In other news, an anonymous sender has delivered to the news station a special package. Usually I wouldn’t accept fanmail for fear that it might contain contaminated goods or the key to the darkest dredges of the room that shall not be named, but in this case hesitation wouldn’t have got me anywhere. And wouldn’t you know it, somebody was kind enough to send in Izuku Midoriya’s middle school journals!”

Todoroki balances one of the old books on his knee. He means no ill will, truly, but he’d be lying if he said that he wasn’t curious. People around here had a lot of questions about Midoriya, and who was he to deny this curiosity? Especially if someone had so intentionally sent this. The journal, fragile with age, contained a lot of… unsaid feelings towards Bakugou, with a lot of Midoriya’s frustrations being vented in these pages. Nothing worth publicizing, but something had caught his eye.

“Out of respect, I’ll spare the details. After all, just what kind of broadcast do you think this is? That being said, it’d be a missed opportunity if I didn’t reward the bold words of these documents. Midoriya, when you have the time, please come down to the station and receive a brand-new jar of spiders that you are free to use however you want. As we all know, spiders are great gifts to those with ulterior motives, and a multitude of them can be very useful, just as you say in your journal. Vengeance, entertainment. Here at UA, we don’t judge.”

Rolling his chair to the side, he set the journal down carefully next to a jar of spiders. He was pretty sure that this was a good gift to make up for the fact that he’d read through one of the pages, especially if that was what the younger Midoriya that had written these passages really wanted. He’d worked hard to get all those spiders, too. The little arachnids watched his movements from their glass imprisonment, a hundred tiny eyes making them the largest audience he’s had in a while. Undaunted by their stares, he proceeds through his script.

“And now for today’s sponsor:

“An unbearable pressure weighing down on the shoulders of society. Figures void of personality and conviction wander aimlessly, with squandered talent. Everyone has a power. Everyone can _demand_ power. But still this world is filled with tortured souls. Rejection is the heaviest burden. There’s no mortar strong enough to fill the cracks left behind by centuries or animosity. So they grow, break, and then fragment further. Ghosts of past desires collect like an army of the dead, a reminder of what was and always has been. These ghosts are here now, forever building. Their mortar does not mend, but still they collect the fragments… join the Paranormal Liberation Front today.”

Truthfully, Todoroki had no idea who these guys were, and they had only offered a vague explanation about what they do. But when they’d reached out to him, who was he to deny their optimistic outlook?

Todoroki let a brief string of music play out while he collected the next paper, swiftly moving onto the next subject.

“In accordance with completely unrelated news, there has been an increase of lizard people within government facilities. Now, it’s understandable that this is to be expected, and by no means should be a basis for discrimination or aggravation. In fact, everyday citizen and nonpartisan freelancer Shuichi Iguchi had this to say about the subject when approached for questioning while standing outside federal buildings. “I don’t see any problem, just so long as they do their job and don’t give a bad reputation to those with mutant quirks. People like to joke that I eat mice like an actual animal. Well. I don’t.” Iguchi continued to explain differences between people with reptilian quirks and these new government officials, citing the proposition that we should always be wary of the government regardless of who is inside. There was no mention of the dual _katana_ in Mr. Iguchi’s possession, suggesting that it merely wasn’t relevant for this particular conversation. Nevertheless, reptiles have always been in our midst, but people in suits had to build the walls they use to spy on us. We live in a tolerant society and should be respectful of one another. That being said, there is always room for suspicion. With that in mind, make sure to steer clear of walls that you suspect have been tampered with until you know for sure that there aren’t any government officials masquerading as an innocent reptile concealed amongst the infrastructure. If you do find one such individual spying on your livelihood, be sure to take protective safety measures to make sure that they are extracted carefully to prevent excessive damage to the insulation. After all, this winter will be particularly cold, and we need to be sure that our homes are warm and secure. As a final note, detached from other comments, be sure to help any lizards you see this winter who may be suffering from the increasingly cold climate. It never hurt to keep a blanket on hand for our cold-blooded friends, both the animals and the people. You never quite know when a gecko or frog might come to you in your time of need.

“Along a similar vein, the search for quirks manifesting in other animals is still underway. President of UA and maybe a cat, or a bear, or some kind of mouse Nezu has assured to some degree that he is the only non-human individual capable of using quirk-like abilities. He was resilient in not sharing any further comment on the subject. So I’ve turned instead to my classmate, Koji Koda, to assist with the revelation of the truth. Are there a plethora of other animals in our ranks holding incredible powers? I’m not saying that your neighbor’s pet dog has the ability to petrify you into a stone statue, but there is reason to suspect that you should, in fact, fear the worms crawling in the cold, boggy dirt beneath your bare feet. Are you ever even safe from the unknown powers quivering within the antennae of the nearest cicada, or the untapped potential of the mourning dove that watches you through the window? If one such animal can possess a quirk, then what’s stopping the unthinkable from breaking out in your very backyard?”

Todoroki chooses that moment to look up from his script at the jar of spiders staring him down. He briefly considers if one of them had fire or ice powers. If one did, he’d probably keep it. Give it a nice terrarium. Though at this point the glass jar keeping them contained didn’t feel as secure anymore. He hoped Midoriya would stop by to pick them up soon.

He continues, refusing to be daunted by them. “According to Koda, maybe nothing is truly stopping them from rising above us, or maybe they’re just not that interested in such ambitious acts. More possible still is the idea that they’re not capable of such feats quite yet, but they will be someday as the world changes and adapts. “We don’t have to fear the bugs,” Koda assured in a moment of unprompted character growth. “They’re just minding their own business… for now.” Koda kept going from there, explaining that maybe we should be careful of the more intelligent creatures we share this world with. But more to the point, that the most important thing may just be to treat all animals kindly in the first place, so that if powers ever do manifest in unexpected places that it’s not to our detriment. So know that you may share your quirk with something that is not human, and wait patiently for the day they decide to reveal themselves…”

Todoroki’s phone buzzes on the desk, and he spares it with a quick glance.

“Listeners, it appears as though we have a guest caller. Hold on a sec while I address this.”

Instead of a number, the phone shows “No Caller ID”, and Todoroki accepts the call.

“Hey, Shoto, it’s your dad, I was wondering – ”

_Click._

“Sorry about that, folks. Wrong number. In other news, I will no longer be accepting guest callers.

“Finally, it is with a heavy heart that I announce that this year’s zombie apocalypse has been canceled. I understand that many people were looking forward to the yearly event, and have as usual been keen on the formulation of their respected “zombie plans”. This sudden occurrence comes with the revelation that zombie quirk user and apocalypse enthusiast Romero Fujimi has fallen under the weather with a rare case of the plague, the irony of which has yet to be determined as doctors struggle to find the source of a disease that hasn’t been in circulation since circa 2020. Complaints of what could’ve been in the event of a cataclysmic societal overhaul that only happens once or thrice a year have been of heated discussion. Efforts are still being made to reschedule the event, in the hopes that we can get back on track to the family fun of our inevitable end, but that has yet to be determined. In the meantime, take meager comfort in the knowledge that this precarious world is in a constant state of flux, and anything could happen. Should anything at all happen, I’ll be the first to tell you.”

At that moment, a knock sounds on the door. Todoroki stiffens instinctively, fearful that his radio show was about to be interrupted again. Instead, the face that peeks into the room was that of Midoriya’s, making this a good opportunity.

“Hey, Todoroki, I was wondering if – oh, are you busy? Sorry, I can come back later.”

Todoroki spun around in his chair like a manager that had been expecting him. “Good timing, I’m glad you’re here.”

Midoriya steps hesitantly through the doorway. “Wh… really? Hey, wait, what’s that on your desk?”

Todoroki tilts the mic closer to him. “Listeners, Midoriya has come to claim his prize. And with it, his plans to quite possibly enact revenge. Well, Midoriya? Do you accept this offer?”

“Are those… spiders?” Midoriya asked, stepping into the room with a concerned expression. “Wait, is that my journal?! How did you…!”

Todoroki shrugs. Not that his listeners could see, but Midoriya would probably understand that Todoroki was just as confused as he was. It’s not like the journal came to him with a return address, though he had a sneaking suspicion that it would have to be someone else in the class. That didn’t make for a story, though. No, there were more important things at stake here.

Todoroki took the jar in one hand and the journal in the other. Quirking an eyebrow, he wonders if his classmate would stake his claim. “Remember,” he says, into his mic more than anything. “There’s nothing wrong with satisfying the hungry flames of resentment inside us all. For some, the answer to stoke these feelings are easy, a passing whim that comes and goes like torrential winds that sweep in from high deserts to amplify what’s already inside us. For others, the only logical answer is a jar of spiders that crawl over each other, clinging to slippery walls and reaching for the freedom that comes with sustainable retribution.”

Todoroki could tell the moment Midoriya made the connection between the two objects he held in front of him, his face draining white. “I-I can explain. I mean, it was so long ago a-and…” His shoulders slump in defeat. “I’ll just… take them both. Yeah.” Midoriya snatches his journal up quickly, followed by a moment of uncertainty before the jar, too, went to him. He looks between the two items, not sure what to do now.

Todoroki turns back towards his desk. “Thank you for joining us on the show. I hope you got what you wanted.”

Midoriya shuffles his way towards the door. “I’ll just… go now. Um, thanks? I think…?”

That encounter had taken up a fair amount of time. Looking at the clock, Todoroki saw that it was time for closing statements.

“Perhaps all spiders in our midst crave what all humans do. This seething desire for power and vengeance that, while maybe not entirely universal to each individual, is an inevitability that evolves, much like quirks, to the scenarios that surround us. Feelings are strong, these sensations that can drive people to act. Or think. And think we all do, about the outcome of our actions and where they lead us. But take no action against the innocent bugs that have shown no ill will yet, and pay no mind to the shadows that dwell under the messes we hide beneath our beds or the agents creeping in the walls. Instead, look inside at the festering memories that inhabit the turbulent husks that define us… Stay tuned with the droning repetition of nature’s chorus, waiting beyond my window, mixed with the thoughts combating each other within our own minds as we sort through the moral dilemma of merely existing within this reality perforated with uncertainty.

“Good night, UA. Goodnight.”

**Author's Note:**

> As much as I tried, I couldn't stop reading my own writing in Cecil's voice. I guess that's just Todoroki's new voice now. Also, if anyone's confused about the spider thing, it's a tentatively canon reference to the BNHA spin-off Smash! where Midoriya is going through his old journals and, well, the rest is here. Hope you had as much fun reading this as I did writing it. Happy Halloween!


End file.
